Penn State opener: Micah Parsons, young linebackers, expect to have big impact

Here are my picks for Penn State's best offensive players since I began covering the team in 1994.
Frank Bodani, fbodani@ydr.com

Buy Photo

Penn State head coach James Franklin is working on his best recruiting class yet at Penn State. The most intrigue left is who the Lions peg to fill out their final two spots before February.(Photo: Jason Plotkin, York Daily Record)Buy Photo

The Penn State linebacker with the best combination of talent and experience appears gone for good.

And so James Franklin preferred to talk about his most impressive youngsters at a position of extreme importance. One spot undergoing some instability, yet again, before the season opens on Saturday against Appalachian State.

Senior Manny Bowen has left the program, reportedly to focus on earning his degree, after fighting his way back on a long path from two previous suspensions. It was hopeful that the former four-star prospect would be able to make valuable contributions as the season progressed.

In his first weekly news conference of the season, Franklin said this about Bowen: "No. 1, we love Manny and want nothing but success for his future. I think Manny has a very bright future but, for us, we’ve been working with this (outcome).

"There are a lot of details of this matter you're not aware of. But (things) really haven’t changed for us at this point in the season" because of his absence.

Earlier on Tuesday, starting junior linebacker Cam Brown said this: "We weren't really planning on having him back right away, so it doesn't affect much of what's going on in the (linebacker) room."

The Nittany Lions will start with a linebacker lineup of former safety Koa Farmer, the 6-foot-5 Brown and walk-on Jan Johnson in the middle.

Buy Photo

Penn State head football coach James Franklin returns a souvenir helmet he autographed while greeting staff members inside Beaver Stadium before an NCAA Division I college football game Saturday, Oct. 21, 2017. The No. 2 Penn State Nittany Lions host Michigan.(Photo: Chris Dunn, York Daily Record)

The keys, though, could be the backups, who pack as much potential as any upcoming trio in recent years.

Harrisburg's freshman sensation, Micah Parsons, will push Farmer on the outside while freshmen Jesse Luketa and Ellis Brooks will see time relieving Johnson inside.

"We had a pretty good idea with what we were getting with Micah, and we have been impressed" since he arrived in January, Franklin said.

CLOSE

Can one of the biggest defensive tackles on the team hit the high notes? He can try.
Ty Lohr, tlohr@ydr.com

Brown said the entire team has particularly noticed the preparation of Parsons and Luketa.

"I feel like they’re mature guys," Brown said. "They came in as freaky athletic. They can move (better) than some of the guys who are older than them.

"They came in with strength as a freshman. I can't really say I did."

Parsons is listed at 6-foot-3 and 240 pounds as a rookie; Luketa is 6-3 and 236 pounds. Brooks, a redshirt freshman, is 6-1 and 233 pounds on the most recent Penn State roster.

Franklin said only Brown has created a significant gap between himself and his backups. He hinted that Parsons, Luketa and Brooks could see nearly as many game reps as Farmer and Johnson.

The other Penn State true freshmen guaranteed to play throughout the entire season? Franklin listed four more: running back Ricky Slade, tight end Pat Freiermuth, defensive tackle P.J. Mustipher and placekicker Jake Pinegar.

The way he talked, though, receiver Justin Shorter and Jahan Dotson also should play beyond the four-game limit for redshirting. Shorter, an elite five-star prize of the 2018 recruiting class, has been slowed by injuries during preseason camp, Franklin said.

The best defensive ends?

The Nittany Lions are expected to start junior Shareer Miller and sophomore Yetur Gross-Matos at defensive end. Backing them up will be Shaka Toney and Daniel Joseph, among others.

Franklin said this will be his best defensive end group as a head coach, starting with Vanderbilt and since joining Penn State in 2014.

The only problem is a lack of depth. The Lions lost former starters Torrence Brown and Ryan Buchholz to injury retirements in the past month.

Highly regarded redshirt sophomore Shane Simmons also is injured and may not be available Saturday, Franklin said.

Penn State head coach James Franklin lifts his shirt to reveal welts from a recent players versus coaches paintball game at media day at Beaver Stadium on Saturday, August 4, 2018. 'Most of those shots came when I wasn't supposed to be getting hit,' Franklin said of the paintball game. 'Great idea on the front end. Not really good in terms of the execution of it.' Ty Lohr, York Daily Record

Penn State head coach James Franklin lifts his shorts, revealing a bruise a recent players versus coaches paintball game at media day at Beaver Stadium on Saturday, August 4, 2018. Ty Lohr, York Daily Record

Penn State defensive coordinator and linebackers coach Brent Pry jokes about head coach James Franklin's bruises from a recent players versus coaches paintball game during media day at Beaver Stadium on Saturday, August 4, 2018. Ty Lohr, York Daily Record

Penn State special teams coordinator and assistant defensive line coach Phil Galiano speaks about how the Nittany Lions will approach kickoff returns this season during media day at Beaver Stadium on Saturday, August 4, 2018. Ty Lohr, York Daily Record

Penn State offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Ricky Rahne answers questions about the upcoming season during media day at Beaver Stadium on Saturday, August 4, 2018. Ty Lohr, York Daily Record